"It is not the critic who counts, not the man who points out how the strong man stumbles, or where the doeor of deeds could have done them better. The credit belongs to the man in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood, who strives valiantly...who knows the great enthusiasms, the great devotions, who spends himself in a worthy cause, who at the best knows in the end the triumph of high achievement, and who at the worst, if he fails, at least fails while daring greatly, so that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who have never known neither victory nor defeat."

-Teddy Roosevelt

Christ was an arena man. I believe He understood this way of life long before dear Mr. Roosevelt uttered the above words. Christ was indeed a man of great enthusiasm, great devotion, and He certainly spent Himself in the worthiest of causes. He lived a risky life and put it all on the line. His motivation was of the purest form and His achievement would be the greatest ever in history. His achievement, though, was not His own - He refused for it to be. Instead, this arena man decided to extend His most glorious achievement completely to us. An act of grace for which I am eternally thankful.

May I now embrace life with the exact same attitude He possessed. May I now enter the arena with an unwaivering focus. May I now pursue goals that only He could accomplish through me. May I now risk everything for His name's sake. May I now be filled with the purest motivation. May I now humbly share in the victory Christ has achieved for me and live life to its fullest.